Storage racks



E. A. SEiZ STORAGE RACKS Sept. 20,1966

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 16, 1964 FIGS.

INVENTOR: EDWARD A. SEIZ Ha /WW p 1966 E. A. SEIZ 3,273,720

7 STORAGE RACKS Filed Oct. 16, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 SEIZ INVENTOR:

ATTYS.

Sept. 20, 1966 E. A. SElZ 3,273,720

STORAGE RACKS Filed Oct. 16, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGB.

- I I NVENTOR EDWARD A. SEIZ AT T15.

United States Patent 3,273,720 STORAGE RACKS Edward A. Seiz, 136 E. 3rd St., Lansdale, Pa. Filed Oct. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 404,219 4 Claims. (Cl. 211-148) The present invention relates to storage racks and more particularly to improvements in storage racks of the type in which shelving may be placed at any level to accommodate differences in the size of goods being loaded in the shelves.

Storage racks of the type discussed hereinafter are de signed for accommodating loaded pallets which are oftentimes handled by fork lift trucks. While loading the pallets onto the shelves, it frequently occurs that the parts being lifted or the fork lift itself will engage beneath the shelves of the rack, and if the shelves are of the easily removable variety, will displace or dislodge them. The effect of such displacement is that such shelves have to be replaced in order to finish the loading, which of course is a waste of time.

In order to avoid the displacement or dislodgement of the shelves, it has been the practice in the manufacture of storage racks to provide auxiliary fasteners at the joints, in order to anchor the shelves to their supporting mem bers. Such auxiliary fasteners, while forming satisfactory joints, have many disadvantages. Either the fasteners fail to hold securely, project or extend from the supporting members or shelves, or become lost or bent when in use. Further, the movement of the shelves from one storage level to another storage level cannot be easily accomplished by one man and additionally requires, in certain instances, special tools for disengagement of the shelves from their supporting members and re-insertion or re-engagement onto their supporting members.

In view of the above, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a storage rack having easily displaceable but rigidly securable load support members upon which, for example, loaded pallets may rest.

Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to provide, at either end of the members, quick disconnect couplings, which couplings require no auxiliary tools in order to move the shelves from one position to another so as to accommodate varying bulk package sizes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide load support members which may be locked into a loading position by a novel locking means so as to prevent inadvertent vertical displacement by catching of a fork lift on a fork lift truck.

Another object of the present invention is to provide novel quick disconnect coupling means at either end of the load support members, which couplings permit the members to be adjusted or displaced to a new position by one man.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rack structure which is rigid and stable and yet versatile in its configuration at the desire of the storage planner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rack construction in which the center of loading on the load support members falls within the upright supporting structure so as to substantially negate any loading moments of inertia on the storage rack.

Another object of the present invention is to provide storage rack apparatus which includes easily secured shelving or the like, which apparatus requires no auxiliary tools for disconnection of the shelves and movement thereof to a new position.

A further object of the invention is to provide quick disconnect coupling means on the support members, which coupling means permits easy visual inspection of its connection to the upright in order to insure that the coupling and upright are properly engaged.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the inven tion may be had by referring to the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of storage rack apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of that portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG, 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2 and illustrating in full and dotted lines the engaged and disengaged position respectively, of a portion of the apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a reduced scale perspective view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 with a portion of the apparatus disengaged so as to better illustrate its construction;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating another feature of the present invention and showing a portion of the apparatus in its disengaged position (full line) and engaged position (broken line); and

FIG. 8 is a plan View of another embodiment constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of a storage rack 10 having a plurality of uprights or posts 11 and pallet storage shelves 12, which shelves comprise at least one load support beam 13 connected to at least two of the uprights 11 by quick break coupling means 20. In the present instance four identical support beams 13 are illustrated, each having similar quick break coupling means 20. However, it should be recognized and as will become more evident hereinafter, only one of the support beams of each of the shelves 12 which is desired to be moved to accommodate changes in position, need have the coupling means 20. In order to insure stability of the storage rack, a plurality of cross braces 14 are transversely connected between the uprights 11. For purposes of illustration, a pallet 15 have a plurality of boxes 16 is shown positioned on a shelf 12. Of course if the goods to be placed on the storage shelves are equal to or greater in length than the transverse width of the storage rack, then no pallet is necessary.

In accordance with the invention, the uprights 11 comprise channels adapted for quick connection to and decoupling of, at any desired position therealong, the coupling means 2%) connecting the load support beams 13.

To this end each of the channels has a pair of spaced flanges 21 and 22 respectively projecting from a web 23, at least one flange of each channel having a protrusion 24 extending longitudinally of the channel and a plurality of longitudinally aligned spaced slots 25 therein. In a like manner, the web 23 also contains a plurality of spaced apertures 26, in the present instance two sets designated 26a and 26b, the slots of each set being aligned longitudinally of the web 23. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5, the protrusion 24 includes an inwardly and outwardly sloped wall portion 24a and 24b respectively, which while increasing the bearing load support prevents pallet hang-up on the protrusion upon loading or unloading pallets. Prevention of pallet hang-up is due to the camming action of the sloped portion, which camming action will automatically, upon for example loading a pallet into the rack and striking the protrusion, cause movement of the pallet away from the upright.

In order to permit quick coupling and decoupling of the support beams 13 to an upright 11, the coupling means 20 comprises an angle member 30 having a pair of legs 31 21 or 22 and the web 23 of the uprights 11.

'50 engages the coupling means of an aperture of the set 26a.

and 32 which are angularly spaced from one another and merge into a junction 33. In practice, the legs may be formed of an angle iron in which preferably the included angle is equal to the included angle between the flanges Extending from leg 32 of the angle is a plurality of lock-ing fingers 34 which fingers are spaced from one another and dimensioned and positioned so as to register with the slots 25 of the protrusion 24. In the illustrated instance the fingers are aligned longitudinally of the junction 33. On the other leg 31 of the angle 36 is at least one pin, in the present instance at least a pair of pins 35 and 36 projecting inwardly from the leg and spaced so as to register with the apertures 26 of the web 23. In the present instance the pins 35 and 36 are longitudinally aligned of the junction 33, and are adapted to register with the apertures of the set 26a.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 5, it is important to note that the fingers 34 of the coupling means include a hooked portion 44 having an inside edge 48 substantially parallel to the junction 33, and a notch 45, an inner surface 46 of which notch is adapted to rest on a lower peripheral edge 27 of the slots 25. Thus the protrusions 24 must extend outwardly from their associated flange a distance equal to or greater than the width of the fingers 34 so that the fingers may register with the slots 25. An additional important requirement of the transverse dimension of the notches 45 is that they must accommodate the edges 27 of the slots 25 without binding and without wedging of the inner edge 48 of the fingers 34 against the inside of the protrusion 24. (See FIG. 3.)

In addition to that set forth above, when the notches 45 engage the edges 27 of the slots 25 and the hook portions 44 of the fingers 34 are in engagement therein, the lower surface of the pins 35 and 36 should rest on a bottom edge 28 of the apertures of the set 26a. This provides, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a very rigid connection for applying vertical loads to the load support beam 13. In order to minimize loading moments about the contact points, i.e. the fingers 34 and the pins 35 and 36, it is desirable that the load support beams 13 be connected to the leg 32 of the angle between the load supporting points 27 and 28 of the uprights 11 when the beam 13 is in a loading position. In accordance with another feature of the invention, and

'to prevent inadvertent dislodgement or vertical displacement of the load support beams 13 when a fork lift type truck is placing a pallet or the like on a shelf 12, a latch 20 and an upper edge 29 (See FIG. 5.) To this end, the latch 50 comprises a slotted spring 51 which is biased against the outer portion of the leg 31, a bolt 52 which engages the slot 53 of the spring 51, and a hole in the leg 31 alignable with the bolt 52. Thus when the pins 35 and 36 are in position resting against the bottom wall 28 of their associated apertures of the set 26a, the bolt will engage the upper edge 29 of an intermediate aperture thus preventing upward displacement of the coupling means 20. It should be noted that the slot 53, in which the pin 52 rests, has at its upper end (see FIG. 2) a tang 54 which arrests the upper movement of the bolt 52 and prevents the inadvertent loss of the bolt when not in registry with the hole 55 of the leg 31.

In operation, when it is desired to disengage the coupling means 20 from an upright 11, the spring 51 is biased rearwardly from the leg 31, the bolt is displaced vertically in the slot 53, and the spring is then permitted to press the bolt 52 against a portion of the leg 31. Thereafter the order to reinsert the bolt 52 into the aperture 55, all that is necessary is to overbias the spring 51, and release it. The spring then carries the bolt rapidly toward the hole 55, the beveled edge 62 striking the bottom edge 55a of the hole and permitting the bolt to register therewith.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, at least the lower of the pins, in the present instance pin 36, is provided with a peripheral notch 37. Additionally, the pin 36 is spaced from a lower edge 31a of the leg 31. This permits the coupling means 20 to rest disengaged from the upright 11, but loosely connected thereto. Thus the notch 37 may rest on the edge 28 of an aperture of the set of slots 26a, with the lower edge 31a pressing against the web 23. (See the full line position of FIG. 7.) The provision of a notch permits the beam to be supported so that one man may move to the opposite end of the load support beam, pick that end up and place it in the proper position on another upright and move both of the coupling means simultaneously into engagement with its associated upright 11.

As oftentimes it is desirable to provide semi-permanent shelves with, for example wooden shelving, a load support beam such as that illustrated in FIG. 6 may be utilized. To this end, and in accordance with another feature of the invention, a pair of load support beams 63 and 73 are connected to a leg 83 of an angle such as heretofore described. Each of the load support beams, which in the present instance are channel-shaped for increased structural integrity, are provided with flanges 64 and 74 respectively and a nailing block 66 which may be secured to the mated flanges by screws 65 or the like. This permits nailing shelves 75 directly to the block 66.

In the event that the load support beams 63 and 73 are extremely long, it may be desirable to place therein in the web portion of the channels, a bracing strip 67 and 77 respectively to reinforce the beams.

The construction of a storage rack having shelves of the type illustrated in FIG. 6 is the same as that heretofore described and embodies all of the features asheretotore set forth.

In certain instances where it is desirable to provide storage racks of great vertical height and/or having greater load carrying capabilities, it is desirable to increase the stnlctural integrity of the lower uprights (if the uprights are stacked) so that they do not buckle under extreme loads. In order to reduce construction costs, it has been found that inserting within the upright an additional channel of reduced dimensions, increases the structural integrity of the lower uprights so that they may withstand extreme vertioal loads. To this end and as illustrated in FIG. 8, a typical upright 111, such as heretofore described, has connected thereto a longitudinally extending channel member 112 having spaced flanges 114 and 115 and a Web .116. By placing the channel member 112 open-end outward, the member may be easily tack welded as at 113 to the upright 111, the web 116 in conjunction with a Web 123 of the upright 111, forming a tubular like support member.

Thus the invention provides a storage rack having quick disconnect couplings at either end of the load support beams which couplings require no auxiliary tools of any sort in order to move the beams or shelves or displace them from one position to another. Further, the beams or shelves are supported in such a manner as to prevent inadvertent displacement while they are being loaded while necessitating no auxiliary or separate locking means. Additionally, any number of uprights may be employed with beams and coupling means such as heretofore described, to fabricate a storage rack of any desired size. I

Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A storage rack comprising a plurality of uprights and having a plurality of load support beams each of which is connected at opposite ends to one of said uprights by a coupling means, at least one of said uprights having at least one longitudinally extending flange and web, a longitudinally extending protrusion on said flange, said protrusion having a plurality of rearwardly facing spaced slots therein, said web having at least one set of longitudinally spaced apertures therein, at least one of said coupling means comprising an angle member having a pair of angularly spaced legs merging into a junction, one of said legs having a plurality of fingers extending therefrom and spaced longitudinally therealong, said fingers being dimensioned and positioned so as to register with said slots and engage the peripheral edges thereof, the other of said legs having at least one pin connected to said leg, projecting therefrom, and positioned thereon so as to register with a selected aperture in said web, said fingers and said pin, when engaged in said upright, providing load bearing support for said beams, and a latch mounted on said angle, said latch comprising a spring having a slot therein, said spring normally biased against the leg of said angle containing said pin, a bolt engaging the slot in said spring and alignable with a hole in said leg, said bolt having an axial length, when in registry with said hole and said coupling means is in a mounted position on said upright, to allow registry of said bolt in another selected aperture of said web and engagement thereof on .an upper peripheral edge of said aperture.

2. A storage rack in accordance with claim 1 wherein said bolt has a beveled forward edge, and said slot in said spring has a terminus below the lower peripheral edge of said hole.

3. A storage rack comprising a plurality of uprights and having a plurality of load support beams each of which is connected at opposite ends to one of said up rights by a coupling means, at least one of said uprights having at least one longitudinally extending flange and web, a longitudinally extending protrusion on said flange, said protrusion having a plurality of rearwardly facing spaced slots therein, said web having at least one set of longitudinally spaced apertures therein, at least one of said coupling means comprising an angle member having a pair of angularly spaced legs merging into a junction, one of said legs having a plurality of fingers extending therefrom and spaced longitudinally therealong, said fingers being dimensioned and positioned so as to register with said slots and engage the peripheral edges thereof, the other of said legs having at least one pin connected to said leg, projecting therefrom, and positioned thereon so as to register with a selected aperture in said web, said pin containing a peripheral notch therein and positioned in said leg and spaced from a lower edge thereof, said fingers and said pin, when engaged in said upright, providing load bearing support for said beams.

4. A storage rack comprising a plurality of uprights and having a plurality of load support beams each of which is connected at opposite ends to one of said uprights by a coupling means, at least one of said uprights having at least one longitudinally extending flange and web, a longitudinally extending protrusion on said flange including an inwardly and outwardly sloped wall portion, said inwardly sloped wall portion having a plurality of rearwardly facing and longitudinally spaced slots therein, said web having at least one set of longitudinally spaced apertures therein, at least one of said coupling means comprising an angle member having a pair of angtrlarly spaced legs merging into a junction, one of said legs having a plurality of fingers extending therefrom and spaced longitudinally therealong, said fingers being dimensioned and positioned so as to register with said slots and engage the peripheral edges thereof, the other of said legs having at least one pin connected to said leg, projecting therefrom, and positioned thereon so as to register with a selected aperture in said web, said fingers and said pin, when engaged in said upright, providing load bearing support for said beams.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,924,414 12/ 1960 Tesdal 248-165 3,055,462 9/1962 Steele 18936 3,127,995 4/1964 Mosinski 211-148 FOREIGN PATENTS 666,850 7/ 196-3 Canada. 853,063 8/1952 Germany.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A STORAGE RACK COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF UPRIGHTS AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF LOAD SUPPORT BEAMS EACH OF WHICH IS CONNECTED AT OPPOSITE ENDS TO ONE OF SAID UPRIGHTS BY A COUPLING MEANS, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID UPRIGHTS HAVING AT LEAST ONE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING FLANGE AND WEB, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PROTRUSION ON SAID FLANGE, SAID PROTRUSION HAVING A PLURALITY OF REARWARDLY FACING SPACED SLOTS THEREIN, SAID WEB HAVING AT LEAST ONE SET OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED APERTURES THEREIN, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID COUPLING MEANS COMPRISING AN ANGLE MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF ANGULARLY SPACED LEGS MERGING INTO A JUNCTION ONE OF SAID LEGS HAVING A PLURALITY OF FINGERS EXTENDING THEREFROM AND SPACED LONGITUDINALLY THEREALONG, SAID FINGERS BEING DIMENSIONED AND POSITIONED SO AS TO REGISTER WITH SAID SLOTS AND ENGAGE THE PERIPHERAL EDGES THEREOF, THE OTHER OF SAID LEGS HAVING AT LEAST ONE PIN CONNECTED TO SAID LEG, PROJECTING THEREFROM AND POSITIONED THEREON SO AS TO REGISTER WITH A SELECTED APERTURE IN SAID WEB, SAID FINGERS AND SAID PIN, WHEN ENGAGED IN SAID UPRIGHT, PROVIDING LOAD BEARING SUPPORT FOR SAID BEAMS, AND A LATCH MOUNTED ON SAID ANGLE, SAID LATCH COMPRISING A SPRING HAVING A SLOT THEREIN, SAID SPRING NORMALLY BIASED AGAINST THE LEG OF SAID ANGLE CONTAINING SAID PIN, A BOLT ENGAGING THE SLOT IN SAID SPRING AND ALIGNABLE WITH A HOLE IN SAID LEG, SAID BOLT HAVING AN AXIAL LENGTH, WHEN IN REGISTRY WITH SAID HOLE AND SAID COUPLING MEANS IS IN A MOUNTED POSITION ON SAID UPRIGHT, TO ALLOW REGISTRY OF SAID BOLT IN ANOTHER SELECTED APERTURE OF SAID WEB AND ENGAGEMENT THEREOF ON AN UPPER PERIPHERAL EDGE OF SAID APERTURE. 